A hard-fought deal on pay and working hours for industrial employees in southwestern Germany sets a benchmark for millions of workers across Europe's largest economy and heralds wage growth in the coming years.

The first round of the German coalition talks on social policy was a meeting to get an initial feeling for where the parties stand. However, some common things are emerging: in the fight against old-age poverty, shortage of nurses and long-term unemployment. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Truck drivers are the latest workers to come into the European Commission's sights in its bid to build a more 'social Europe', with new rules designed to make sure drivers from lower-wage countries don't undercut better paid workers when they travel to other EU member states.

The European Commission is expected to propose changes to employment law for truck drivers and rules on road tolls in May. Czech Transport Minister Dan Ťok suggested a compromise and said he isn't ready to challenge Germany's controversial road toll bill.

Discussions on a possible coalition between the two left-wing candidates for France’s presidential election appear to have broken down. Their fundamentally different views on the future of Europe make any partnership unworkable. EURACTIV France reports.

MEPs are asking the European Commission to require member states to introduce national minimum wages in a move that will unnerve politicians across Europe, business lobby groups and even some trade unions.

The European Pillar of Social Rights is the European Commission’s attempt to create the social ‘triple A’ rating that its president, Jean-Claude Juncker, set as a goal of his term in office. Its success is hinged on whether the EU puts social rights at the heart of its work, writes Jana Hainsworth.

France, Germany and six other European countries have asked the European Commission to examine the consequences of the "abusive practices" and "fierce competition" from certain states in the road transport sector.

Germany’s adoption of a minimum wage in 2015 and the EU’s repeated talks over posted workers have paved the way for the adoption of a European minimum wage. But political resistance in some quarters is still strong. EURACTIV France reports.

The International Monetary Fund has highlighted the positive effect of public spending on refugees on European GDP, but has also recommended that employers pay them less than the minimum wage. EURACTIV France reports.

Finland is looking to experiment in 2017 with a basic monthly income for Finns, a universal and unconditional monthly payment seen as a way to reform the welfare system and cut spending, Finnish authorities said Tuesday.